Monday, November 12, 2012

25 for 16: MadBum

Starting pitcher:
M.C. O'Connor

Madison Bumgarner gave up TEN earned runs in two disastrous playoff starts: an LDS Game Two loss (4-1/3, 7 H, 4 R) to the Reds and an LCS Game One loss (3-2/3, 8 H, 6 R) to the Cardinals. Guys in red hats were tough on the young southpaw, in fact, they were tough on every starter not named Ryan Vogelsong. The Giants only lost five post-season games, two with Matt Cain starting, one with Tim Lincecum starting, and two with the Bumbino on the bump. But the bright lights of the World Series seem to fire up our slow-talking Southern boy--he's yet to yield a run in his two appearances. In 2010, he mesmerized the Texas Rangers for eight innings, and in 2012 he shut down the Detroit Tigers over seven, allowing only two hits and striking out eight. That's 15 frames on The Big Stage, all zeroes, and two big wins. His Game Two start in San Francisco was 0-0 until the Giants "broke it open" against starter Doug Fister and rookie reliever Drew Smyly. Rookie shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a double play grounder with the bases loaded to score Hunter Pence and that was enough. The Giants got the bases loaded again in the 8th and squeaked out another run, and with Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo doing a six-up six down thing on a mere 21 pitches, the Tigers went home in 2-0 hole. You have to figure Detroit manager Jim Leyland relied too much on his young southpaw in those critical situations, especially when he had the very tough and more experienced Phil Coke available. But this post is about Bumgarner and the Giants, who are, deservedly, the 2012 World Series champions. Much was made at the time about Mark Gardner and Dave Righetti "fixing" Maddy's mechanical problems in his side sessions. Those guys are getting quite a reputation as "hurler whisperers" these days, and who can argue with the results? Did I mention that Bumgarner, like Cain, is signed through 2017? No? Well, he is. That is, they both are, and that's pretty fucking awesome.